Weymouth is leaning into its eccentric side for Christmas this year. The town's festive programme, 'Elves, sleigh bells and steampunk spells', runs across four weekends from late November through to the middle of December, and it pulls in everything from a world-record attempt to a steampunk cabaret. The whole thing is spread across the town centre, from New Bond Street and the Esplanade over to Hope Square and the harbourside, so there's a lot to keep track of.
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It kicks off on Saturday 28 November with the Elf World Record and the Christmas lights switch-on. The morning is all about the elves: face-painting and crafts from 9am, with hats and ears handed out, and a registration window at Weymouth Pavilion between 11am and 1pm for anyone who wants to be counted. At 1pm there's a big group photo and filming, and at 1.15pm Dorset's Largest Elf Parade marches out, led by a band and Santa in his sleigh. The main stage on New Bond Street keeps going until 5pm with naughty elves, the panto cast, local choirs, dance groups, stilt walkers and buskers, before the Mayor, the Primary Times winner and the panto cast switch on the lights, the trees and the Christmas Elf. A sing-along with The Hooked follows, and some pubs keep the elf parties going afterwards.
The second weekend, 4 to 6 December, is the Yuletide Weekend, and that's where the steampunk comes in. It opens on the Friday night with a cabaret of fire and burlesque led by Ana Defuego, with Weymouth College students showing off steampunk fashion and two make-your-own workshops running in the town centre. Saturday afternoon's centrepiece is a promenade from the Carousel to the Christmas tree, and across the weekend there's music, poetry and history from the likes of The Wight Hot Pipes, The Dolmen, Dukebox, Major Blunder, The Antipoet and Professor Elemental. Cheese rolling and tea-duelling also make a return.
Hope Square takes over for the Traditional Christmas Weekend on 12 and 13 December, with Sticks and Bones running an artisan market and a working Bavarian bar. Mulled wine, mince pies and warming dishes come from Pascals, The Red Lion, Sticks and Bones, Nosh, The Old Rooms and By the Quay, with traditional dancing and live music both days: The Rock Choir at 4pm on the Saturday and the Salvation Army leading carols at 4pm on the Sunday. St Mary's Church puts on a live Nativity and Christmas crafts from midday to 3pm on the Saturday, and the whole weekend goes in aid of the Weymouth Foodbank.
The final stretch is Santa Weekend on 19 and 20 December. The Elf Express runs on the Saturday from 10am to 4pm, boarding at Hope Square or the Esplanade opposite the Black Dog, with proceeds going to the Will Mackaness Trust. There's all-day Santa letter writing, Santa popping up around town, a light trail, gingerbread houses and marshmallows, and Santa arriving at Sea Life between 4pm and 8pm. On the Sunday, the Chase the Pudding 5km run goes from Weymouth Pavilion to the stone groyne at Greenhill, with an under-16s Chase the Elf 2km run from the Pavilion end of the beach to the Pier Bandstand and back, both raising money for the Will Mackaness Trust.
Beyond the weekends, businesses compete in the Christmas Sparkle window competition, pubs and bars put on live music every weekend, and the Weymouth Pavilion panto, Cinderella, runs from 19 December to 2 January. Free parking is laid on for the big event days at Cosens Quay, Governors Lane, Harbourside, Melcombe Regis, North Quay, Park Street, the Pavilion and its forecourt, the Royal Yard and the Swannery.
Published Date
31 October 2026
